Microscope Museum

Collection of antique microscopes and other scientific instruments

 

    

Microscope 360 (Phillip Harris; small stereoscopic microscope; 1990s)

 

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Philip Harris Ltd was a British laboratory supply company originally founded by Thomas Ellis in 1817, that became a major supplier of equipment for school science. At that time, Philip Harris would have been 15 or 16 years old; he joined Ellis in 1825. Philip Harris started as a manufacturer of chemists' and surgical products, adding medicines in 1866. In the 1960s and 1970s, they established also biological and manufacturing units. The biological unit, Harris Biological Supplies Ltd, traded as South Yorkshire Biological Supplies Ltd until its acquisition by Philip Harris. Microscope 360 is a small stereoscopic microscope labelled with “Philip Harris” and the serial number 50854327 and should be dated to the 1990s. There is also as label stating that this instrument was made in China.

Note: this instrument was kindly donated by Dave Levell (Pembrokeshire, Wales) in May 2023.